Plenty Change In Clare Club Managements For 2020 Season

With the Master Fixtures plan for 2020 now in place, and club leagues set to begin in less than a month’s time, there are still some spots to be filled on the managerial merry-go-round.

Eight of the clubs in the Clare senior football championship will have new management in 2020, while nine of the top tier hurling clubs have changed the guard.

SENIOR FOOTBALL

One of the biggest departures comes with county football champions Miltown, who are currently searching for David O’Brien’s replacement. The publican stepped back from his role after just one year in charge having led his native club to a Cusack Cup and championship double. A spokesperson for the club confirmed to The Clare Champion that they are working on identifying a replacement for O’Brien, while his management team including Kerry native David Geaney, have also stepped down.

Beaten county finalists Kilmurry Ibrickane have retained the services of 1992 Munster championship winner Aidan ‘Horse Moloney’ who continues for a second year. He will be joined in his backroom team by eight time championship winner with the club Michael O’Dwyer with other changes also made to the management team for the coming year.

Ennistymon are among the teams with new management in place, taking over from Mark Shanahan and his backroom team, which included former county star Ger Quinlan. They are replaced by 1992 Munster championship winner Kieran Kelleher and Michael Rouine, with that pairing having worked together in recent years as part of the Clare minor football set-up.

Fellow North Clare outfit St Breckan’s are looking forward to life back in the top tier after their intermediate championship success in 2019, and the man that led them to that title, Donie Garrihy, remains at the helm.

Lissycasey have had a change of management with Ger ‘Bobby’ Kelly being replaced by former Limerick ladies football manager John Ryan. There is also change in Doonbeg as Daniel Ryan is replaced by former Magpies player Brian Dillon, who served as coach with Ryan last season.

Aiden Daly takes up the reins of his native Kilrush Shamrocks as former Kerry ladies boss Graham Shine departs after one year in charge, while in Clondegad, Mikey Hehir steps aside after six years in charge with Flan Enright and Kevin Walsh taking charge for the coming season.

Kilmihil also have a change of manager as Ger O’Grady takes over from Mark O’Connell. O’Grady was a selector on the management team in 2019, while former international rules star and multiple championship winner with Kilmurry Ibrickane Odran O’Dwyer remains as coach.

The newly formed peninsula amalgamation of Naomh Eoin-O’Curry’s-Kilkee has yet to finalise their management team, with Joe Garry, Dermot Galvin and Johnnie Daly not continuing with the West Clare outfit.

There is no change in Cooraclare where former county star and championship winner with Kilkee David Russell remains in charge. There is also no change in Cratloe with Colm Collins staying at the helm there, while Paul Madden remains as manager of Eire Óg.

2020 Clare SFC Club Management

Clondegad: Mikey Hehir departs and is replaced by Flan Enright and Kevin Walsh

Cooraclare: No change with David Russell in charge

Cratloe: No change with Colm Collins in charge

Doonbeg: Daniel Ryan departs and is replaced by Brian Dillon

Eire Óg: No change with Paul Madden in charge

Ennistymon: Mark Shanahan departs and is replaced by Michael Rouine and Kieran Kelleher

Kilmurry Ibrickane: No change with Aidan Moloney in charge

Kilmihil: Mark O’Connell departs and is replaced by Ger O’Grady

Kilrush: Graham Shine departs and is replaced by Aiden Daly

Lissycasey: Ger Kelly departs and is replaced by John Ryan

Miltown: David O’Brien departs with replacement TBC

Naomh Eoin – O’Curry’s- Kilkee: Joe Garry departs with replacement TBC

St Breckans: No change with Donie Garrihy in charge

HURLING

There will be plenty change on the sidelines in the Clare club hurling scene in 2020, but the current kingpins are not among the clubs who have rung the changes.

Tim Crowe and Davy Fitzgerald opted to put old grievances to bed last year and combined to lead their native club to the Canon Hamilton. They will bid to make it back to back titles for the first time since 1993 this year, with Paddy Meehan and Timmy Crowe also continuing as part of the management team.

Their neighbours and last year’s beaten finalists Cratloe are among the clubs who have opted for change, with Conor Earley taking over the reins from Alan Neville. 2014 championship winning manager with Cratloe Joe McGrath and club stalwart Jody O’Connor are among the backroom team.

Kieran O’Neill is the new man in charge at Kilmaley, with the St Joseph’s Doora Barefield clubman bidding to repeat the exploits of 2004 when he was involved as a coach for Kilmaley’s last championship success. He takes over from John Carmody, who was manager when O’Neill was last with the club.

Broadford are the new boys in the senior championship after their intermediate title win last year, and will be managed in 2020 by former Clare selector and LIT manager Jimmy Browne.

There are two high profile Limerick men in charge of Clare clubs for 2020. Former Treaty coach Donach O’Donnell replacing Pat Loughnane as manager of O’Callaghan’s Mills, while former Limerick camogie manager John Tuohy takes over the reins from Bob Enright at Newmarket on Fergus.

Clonlara and Clooney-Quin will also have new management but both clubs have looked inside their own borders for their new bosses. Former Clonlara School principal Eddie Horgan takes the reins in south-east Clare from the outgoing Dave Cuddy, while Dave Barry is replaced in Clooney-Quin by Michael Duggan. Wolfe Tones have adopted a similar approach, as Ray Diviney takes over Denis O’Riordan, with Clarecastle also opting for one of their own as Rogie McMahon succeeds Pat Healy as manager.

There is no change in Crusheen where James Carrig remains in situ while Ballyea will once more be marshalled by 2018 championship winning manager Kevin Sheehan. Inagh-Kilnamona have given Fergal Hegarty the reins for another year, Mattie Shannon remains with Eire Óg, Michael Guilfoyle stays as manager of Feakle while there is no change in Whitegate where Terence Fahy remains in situ.

Clare SHC Club Management

Ballyea: No change with Kevin Sheehan in charge

Broadford: Tom Howard departs and is replaced by Jimmy Browne

Clarecastle: Pat Healy departs and is replaced by Rogie McMahon

Clooney-Quin: Dave Barry departs and is replaced by Michael Duggan.

Clonlara: Dave Cuddy departs and is replaced by Eddie Horgan

Cratloe: Alan Neville departs and is replaced by Conor Earley

Crusheen: No change with James Carrig in charge

Eire Óg: No change with Mattie Shannon in charge

Feakle: No change with Mike Guilfoyle in charge

Inagh-Kilnamona: No change with Fergal Hegarty in charge

Kilmaley: John Carmody departs and is replaced by Kieran O’Neill

Newmarket: Bob Enright departs and is replaced by John Tuohy

O’Callaghan’s Mills: Pat Loughnane departs and is replaced by Donach O’Donnell

Sixmilebridge: No change with Tim Crowe in charge.

Whitegate: No change with Terence Fahy in charge

Wolfe Tones: Denis O’Riordan departs and is replaced by Ray Diviney.